Only You
by AngelsEternityXOXO
Summary: "Only you can make my heart beat this fast, Name -kun." He didn't understand the feeling he had when he was around you. For some odd reason, only you could make Shiraishi Kuranosuke's heart race. Shiraishi Kuranosuke x Reader
1. Chapter 1: Hair

**Chapter 01: Hair  
**

He loved your hair. To be honest, when you transferred to the school in the middle of the first semester in his third year, the first thing he noticed was the silkiness of your (hair colour) hair. For Shiraishi Kuranosuke, that may have been what first attracted him to you.

But you were both guys. He shouldn't have been attracted to you. However, when you bumped into each other in the office while you were handing in your application form for a club, he felt his heart race the moment you greeted him with a shy, "hello".

"(Last Name)-kun, right? I'm Shiraishi Kuranosuke, the—"

"—boy who sits behind me in class, correct?" You finished, grinning childishly at the blonde, your eyes glimmered in the light. For some reason, your smile caused Shiraishi's blood to run like mad.

"U- Uh, yeah..." Their hands held in contact a little longer than necessary. When Shiraishi realized this, he immediately jerked his hand back, and covered his cheeks with his hand, hoping you hadn't seen the red blush surfacing on his face.

You let out a chuckle, "Shiraishi-san sure gets embarrassed easily."

_**It's odd, but it's only when I'm around you...**_ Shiraishi remained quiet. He could feel the heat from his cheeks cooling down, and so he could finally look you back in the eyes. Honestly, your hair looked so silky and smooth; he just wanted to run his fingers through your hair, and—

Wait. What the hell was he thinking?! You were a guy, and not only that, but you were a new student. He shouldn't be thinking these weird thoughts and—

"Eh? Shiraishi-san?"

Just then, something out of the ordinary happened. Shiraishi's body took absolutely control over his mind and he unconsciously ran his fingers through your (hair colour) hair. When he was aware of his actions, he widened his eyes and jumped back, bringing his hand away from your hair. _**C- Crap!**_

"Uh, (Last Name)-kun, I- I apologize. I- I didn't... I mean... y- your hair... I- It just looked n- nice so I..." Shiraishi was in utter shock and too stunned to say anything more. He was tongue-tied, and just wanted to die on the spot right there, but then he saw something absurd.

A smile crept onto your lips, completely not bothered by your classmate's sudden action. Instead, you found it incredibly amusing, watching him squirm as he tried to come up with an excuse. "Don't worry, Shiraishi-san. I like your hair, too."

And with that, you dropped off your form with the receptionist and headed towards the exit of the office, "See you later, Shiraishi-san."

Shiraishi stood in the office, his face flustered over the encounter that just occurred moments before. He tried his best to cool his head down – erase what had happened out of his mind – but no matter what, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Your smile, your obliviousness, everything about you; he just couldn't forget it.

Ten minutes later, Shiraishi was still in a daze, even when Osamu walked into greet the captain of the infamous tennis team in the Kansai region, he hadn't replied back.

"Oi~ buchou[1], what's the matter with you? Did you see a hot chick or something?" The coach of the team hit Shiraishi on the top of the head with his clipboard, as he strolled past the blonde-haired individual.

The said captain then broke out of his daze and quickly turned to face the tennis coach, as he raced to catch up with him. His face red like an apple for no apparent reason. "O- Of course not! A- Anyway, h- here! T- This is the practice s- schedule for t- today!" He hurriedly shoved the papers into Osamu's hands and stormed away, slamming the office door with a little too much force than needed.

Osamu tilted his straw hat as he played around with the toothpick in his mouth, pondering over what happened to the usual calm and collected captain. "Must've been a hot chick, no doubt about that."

Little did Osamu know, it wasn't a "chick", but an innocent boy from the Kantou region who recently transferred into Shiraishi's class that made the captain so flustered.

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1] **= Buchou means captain.


	2. Chapter 2: Racquet

**Chapter 02: Racquet  
**

He didn't notice the club you signed up for was the club _he_ managed: the tennis club. And he didn't know about it until the following week after the office incident. The day when he arrived late to practice because he was discussing to a teacher about a project, and he noticed you standing in the middle of the change room, all by yourself.

It took Shiraishi a few moments to snap out of his thoughts and finally turn his attention to you. He wondered what you were doing here in the locker room, but he figured you were lost and just happened to come to the change room. But that was too much of a coincidence, so he shook that option out from his mind. Then again, Osamu did mention something about a surprise at practice today. Could this be it?

_**Damn that Osamu-chan**_[1]_**... Anyway, might as well as start a conversation...**_

"(Last Name)-kun, what are you doing here?"

"Oh! Shiraishi-san... Well... I'm in the tennis club now, but you see... your coach... He suddenly announced I was in the club today, and I didn't have time to buy a racquet yet..." You stifled out a laugh, feeling uncomfortable and a little silly. After all, you walked into the locker room with absolutely no tennis gear, earning yourself a few looks from the members, and you didn't dare ask them to lend you a racquet; you barely knew them.

You ran your fingers through your hair, looking quite frustrated and confused at the same time— maybe even a little embarrassed. "...Maybe I should just go home..."

Silence took over the room until a chuckle escaped Shiraishi's lips as he approached you. He reached into his tennis bag and handed a racquet to you, "Here. You can borrow it until you have time to buy your own. I always have a few spares in my bag in case of an accident, or in this case, if someone needs it." He turned around, changing into his tennis uniform as you held the racquet tightly in your grasp.

"U- Um... thank you..." You mumbled, your eyes staring towards the ground.

"Ah, you're welcome." Shiraishi finished slipping on his jersey, and gestured you to leave the room with him, "Now come on. Practice started a while ago."

"But weren't you late as well, Shiraishi-san?"

Shiraishi smirked down at you, as he poked you on the side of your head, making you yelp in surprise, "Props for being the captain."

You stood by the doorway, pouting at the individual beside you, "You're taking advantage of your title as captain, Shiraishi-san."

Shiraishi's response was a laugh, as he patted you on the head.

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1]** = To be honest, I can't quite remember if they call Osamu "Osamu-chan" or not, but I remember reading it somewhere so I put it like this. Correct me if I'm wrong.


	3. Chapter 3: Role Model

**A/N:** I just realized I could edit a document to write an author's note. WOW I'M SUPER SMART. C: Anyways, please enjoy this! I actually have the entire fic finished so I will be updating pretty quickly :D Thanks for the love and support, everyone! Reviews are appreciated! My readers are amazing and I love you all! :)

* * *

**Chapter 03: Role Model  
**

The day you joined the tennis club, everyone was fully aware of your skills. And let's just say, they weren't exactly worried about you becoming a threat for the regulars' position on the team. You weren't an amazing player...

Okay, you were horrible. Honestly, your form, speed, even your grip was a complete disaster. You couldn't even hit the ball when it was coming directly at you. At this rate, you were hopeless.

When everyone left to return home after practice was over, Shiraishi approached you and Osamu, who were chatting inside the change room about your tennis skills. He could tell from Osamu's tone that you would need to switch clubs soon if your skills would not improve. After all, the tennis club didn't have time to train a newbie; they had Nationals to worry about.

However, as he neared you both, the words that left your mouth to defend your position to stay in the club forced him to stop.

"Ah, well, (Name)-kun, you're not exactly skilled in tennis so..."

"Wait a minute, coach! I'm sorry. I know I really have no experience, but there was a reason why I joined the team..." A pinkish tint surfaced on your cheeks, as you glanced down at the racquet Shiraishi had lent you. "A few months ago, I read an article about Shitenhouji's victory in the Kansai tournament. You see, ever since I read that article, I found someone I really admire on the team and I joined so I could watch him play up close."

Shiraishi leaned on the door outside the club room, holding his breath so he could hear more. He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he was so intrigued. There was someone you admired on the team? He thought about the various players and their skills; to find out who you looked up to as a role model.

Perhaps it was Chitose, with his Muga no Kyouchi[1]? No, it couldn't be...

Maybe Yuuji and Koharu's funny doubles style? ...That was definitely an option, but he had a feeling Koharu intimidated you.

Gin? No, powerhouses didn't seem to be your style.

He considered Kenya, Naniwa's Speed Star, or Zaizen, their genius, but when he saw you talking to them earlier today, you didn't have that look of admiration in your eyes. And there was always Koishikawa, the vice-captain, but during the Kansai tournament, he hadn't really played. To be honest, he was more like Shitenhouji's strategist[2] rather than a player; even he admitted that himself.

That only left Kintarou as his last option, which made sense since he was an amazing player – the best on the team – but what you said next shocked him.

"The tennis player I admire on the team is our captain..." You muttered softly, but Shiraishi heard you, and he was speechless. He hadn't even considered himself as an option. After all, he barely participated in the tournament, leaving the spots for everyone else.

Heat rushed to his cheeks, as he realized you admired him. His heart raced, as he continued to listen to you compliment him on his perfect tennis. To Shiraishi, he always thought his play style was boring, but when you said you liked it, it made him, well, like it, too.

He tried his best to calm down his speeding heart. If it beat any faster, he'd probably die from a heart attack. Honestly, what was wrong with him?!

But his heart suddenly stopped when he heard a laugh escape from Osamu's mouth. A laugh he knew all too well after spending a full year and a bit with the new coach. That idiotic coach was planning something devious; Shiraishi could feel it.

"Well, everyone looks up to our buchou here, that's for sure! Tell you what, (Name)-kun, I'll arrange private lessons for you from our one and only buchou!"

"E- Eh? Isn't he occupied with the team and Nationals? I- It's okay. I- I'll just join a different—"

"Nonsense! Shira-tan's[3] pretty lenient and he's always willing to help his team, ain't that right, Shira-tan?"

Shiraishi flinched when he realized Osamu had just called out to him. _**Oh man! Osamu-chan knew I was here?!**_

Hesitantly, he entered the room and greeted the two individuals in front of him. Osamu had his typical smirk, as if he knew he was embarrassing the poor captain, while you stared at him with wide-eyes.

"You heard, didn't you, Shira-tan? So, you willing to help dear (Name)-kun improve on his tennis skills?"

Shiraishi glanced over in your direction and noticed the faint blush from earlier darken. All he could do was nod his head and mumble out a small "sure" before he averted his eyes away from yours.

* * *

**FOOT NOTES;**

**[1]** = I heard that Koishikawa doesn't often play, but instead, he likes to analyze the opponents and their skills. I'm not sure, though...

**[2]** = Muga no Kyouchi means "State of Self-Actualization".

**[3]** = I felt like I was abusing the word "buchou" too much, so I changed it to "Shira-tan". I can imagine Osamu calling Shiraishi by that. LOL.


	4. Chapter 4: Private Lessons

******A/N:** awww shucks, why are you all so amazing? Thank you so much for the support with the reviews and favourites! A big shout-out and hugs for each and every one of you! Please don't stop being so awesome! :D Okay, now go and enjoy this chapter! :)

* * *

**Chapter 04: Private Lessons  
**

It's been a month and a half since you and Shiraishi had your private lessons, and you were improving at an incredible pace; Shiraishi was impressed with your skills. Including the daily club practice, you had four hours of tennis practice in total. Back when you said you admired Shiraishi; well, he surely admired you for your dedication and strong will to learn and develop.

Each and every day, you sent his heart racing and the feeling he had around you was different from when he was with Kenya or Chitose. Maybe he really was in lo—

_**No, no, not with...**_ Shiraishi observed your movements as you warmed up for your lesson. You were stretching for a while before you switched to continuous racquet swings.

A few moments later, Shiraishi walked over to you, and placed his hand on your shoulder, stopping your movements, "That's enough for a warm-up, (Last Name)-kun. Let's begin the lesson."

"Oh, sure, Shiraishi-san."

It was always like this. Every day, you would hit a few rounds against the wall as Shiraishi observed your movements from afar. After, he would comment on what you did well and what you needed to improve on. It was usually a short one hour lesson but it went smoothly, with the occasional heart throb from Shiraishi. That was, until today, when he noticed you were completely off your game, missing the majority of the balls; your form was all wrong.

"Hold on a moment, (Last Name)-kun." He leapt off the ledge he sat on and headed towards your direction on the half court. Your face was dripping with drops of sweat, as your held the racquet tightly in your grasp; a look of confusion all over your face.

"You're a little off today. Remember, your form is important, so keep that consistent."

"Y- Yes."

Shiraishi reminded you what the form was supposed to look like, and you mimicked him, but still, after a few rounds, you dropped the form once again.

The blonde sighed, as he ran his fingers through his hair. _**Guess I have no choice...**_

"(Last Name)-kun, the form is like this..." Then, the unexpected happened. You felt the heat from Shiraishi engulf you as you felt his arms wrap around your body. He adjusted your hands by moving around with his own and then placed his hands over yours on the handle. You could feel his breath near your ear as he continued to explain what the form was like, correcting the position of your feet every once in a while. When he finished, he tossed the ball gently into the air and hit it with the face of the racquet, sending it flying to the wall.

After a while of hitting it back and forth, you missed, and that only left you and Shiraishi standing close together for no apparent reason.

"Mmm... ecstasy~[1] You did better there, see?"

You couldn't respond back, so all you could do was nod. You didn't dare turn around to face your personal trainer. He was so close to you; you could feel the heat rising up on your cheeks as you thought about the situation happening to you.

Your role model, Shiraishi Kuranosuke, was right behind you. His hands on yours; the warmth emitting from his body was extremely close. How _could_ you face him? If you were to speak, you'd choke. If you were to look him in the eyes, you were scared of what he'd say about the blush lingering on your cheeks.

But Shiraishi wasn't moving either, and you wanted to know why. The ball stopped a long time ago and your hour lesson was officially over; there was no reason why he needed to cling to you any further. Though, you would be upset if he were to let go.

Wait, what were you thinking? That was your _trainer_ you were thinking about; not your boyfriend! You couldn't have these thoughts about him.

"U- Um... Shiraishi-san..."

"Oh, s- sorry!" The said male jumped back, releasing his hold on you as the cool air chilled your now bare back.

"I- It's all right..." You timidly turned around to watch Shiraishi as he bent down to pick up the lone ball you had missed earlier.

"A- Anyway," He started, clearing his throat, "Good work. You're free to go, (Last Name)-kun."

"Oh, um... thank you, Shiraishi-san..." You could feel the heat from your cheeks die down, as you went to go gather your belongings. An awkward silence hung around the two of you as you packed up.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, you parted ways, wishing each other a good weekend. Usually, you would meet, but Shiraishi said he had a club meeting to attend to with Osamu and Koishikawa tomorrow, so he couldn't make it. Though, perhaps it was better that way. You two could clear your heads of the event that just happened a few moments ago.

For Shiraishi, he couldn't believe you hadn't heard the loud thumps from his heart when he wrapped his arms around you. At that time, he honestly hadn't considered your feelings and he hoped he didn't cause an awkwardness between you two.

Little did he know, your heart pounded just as loud as his. You were so focused on what happened, you barely paid attention to the lesson. However, you really wanted to know what Shiraishi thought of you. Did he like you as much as you did?

Even though you two had separated, ironically enough, a blush began to form on both yours and Shiraishi's cheeks as you reminisced over the incident at the half court.

_**No... He couldn't possibly...**_

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1]** = I realize it's already chapter four, and not once have I made Shiraishi say his favourite line. Man, I fail so much LOL. But then again, I guess my excuse could be that he was too busy dealing with his feelings towards you. /shot. I also realize that throughout this entire story, he only says it in this chapter…


	5. Chapter 5: That Heartbeat

**A/N:** Did I ever tell you all that you're ABSOLUTELY AMAZING?! Please leave more reviews and favourites! Oh my goodness, you all just made me so happy and warm and fuzzy inside- I just- I can't! WHY ARE YOU ALL SO AWESOME!? Thank you for the kind reviews! When I wake up in the morning and check my email, I feel so giddy inside- it just brightens up my whole day! Enjoy this chapter! :D

* * *

**Chapter 05: That Heartbeat  
**

After the weekend, you still couldn't forget about the event that happened on a couple days ago. The way Shiraishi's body was just inches from yours, his breath against your ear, the way his fingers wrapped around your own— you couldn't just dismiss it all from your mind. For some unknown reason, Shiraishi just remained on your mind the whole time.

The same with the blonde-haired individual with you. Even during the meeting with Osamu and Koishikawa yesterday[1], he was thinking about you. When Osamu interrogated him, he simply replied that he was feeling a little ill. But honestly speaking, it was all because of you.

Why couldn't he keep his mind off from you? There was no way he could possibly be attracted to a guy such as yourself, right? For one, you were a _boy_, and second, you were just a friend to him, like how Kenya or any of the other tennis members were.

But you were different from them. He had a feeling he was slowly having a strong attachment towards you, because whenever he hung around with you, his heartbeat always sped up; blood rushed to his cheeks whenever he made the slightly contact. This was… love, wasn't it?

Shiraishi shook his head, as he tried to clear his mind once again while he lay on his bed. Ever since he met you, you were the only person he focused on.

_**No… not with (Last Name)-kun. He's like a brother to me, just like how the rest of the tennis club members are practically my family.**_

Although his mind said that, his heart thought differently. He remembered your innocent smile, your petite figure, the genuine charisma you emitted out from your body, the way you laughed when he stuttered on his words— only _you_ could make him feel that way. None of the other tennis members could make his heart beat so fast in his life, and when he spent time with you, he could feel the defensive barrier he usually had break apart.

Suddenly, his face grew rather hot.

He flipped onto his stomach; his face buried in his pillow as he let out a frustrated scream. His fingers clutched tightly around the pillow cover. Never in his life had he ever been this confused, aggravated, and what was worse. It was because of a boy.

But you weren't just a boy; you were someone he treasured.

Maybe he should call Chitose or Kenya to ask for their opinion. Then again, the two would probably make fun of him for causing such a commotion over a tennis member. Now if it was a hot chick, they would spend their time talking to him about it and offer him suggestions on how to handle it, but you weren't a girl, now were you?

However, he was stumped. Why were you constantly on his mind? Why couldn't, no matter how hard he tried, take his mind off of you? Most importantly, why did he always lose his calm and collected self around you?

Oh well. Chitose or Kenya could laugh all they want. He needed to know why he was acting this way.

And fast.

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1]** = In case you didn't quite understand, let me clarify. This is a Sunday, and based off my research, apparently in Japan, some schools only have Sundays as a "weekend"? Is this true? If not, I will change it (~A~) Therefore, Shiraishi met with Koishikawa and Osamu yesterday on a Saturday (I hope this made sense…)


	6. Chapter 6: Date 01

**A/N:** Ahhhh, halfway done the fic now (/w/) Seriously, all you readers/reviewers- YOU'RE ALL AMAZING! PLEASE DON'T EVER STOP. I wish I could just give all of you hugs but I suppose Internet hugs will do for now C: Please enjoy this chapter, and remember to review/favourite! Your reviews make me so happy hehehe :)

* * *

**Chapter 06: Date #****1  
**

He had done it. After a two hour conversation with Chitose, he made arrangements to hang out with you on a day where it wasn't just revolved around tennis. At first, when Shiraishi summed up enough courage to Chitose about you and his unusual actions, the tall, curly blue-haired damned ass _talented_tennis individual laughed non-stop. Just like he predicted it, Chitose thought he was reacting over all the past events a little too much, but after he heard the serious tone in Shiraishi's voice, he knew this issue wasn't something to laugh about.

When he finally took things earnestly, he told Shiraishi to do only one thing: _Date trials_. The idea was to ask you out on a "date" and then ask a girl out on a "date" similar to the one he took you. By doing this, he would find out whether he was actually in love with you or if it was just a phase. Before their conversation ended, Chitose mentioned something along the lines of _"I already know how this is going to end"_.

The same happened with Kenya. After ten minutes of Naniwa's speed star laughing his ass off, he also said something similar to Chitose's words.

This led him to where he was now.

The schedule for the day was just a casual hang out at the mall. Shiraishi claimed he needed to go buy some supplies for the tennis club and he wanted some company. Of course, he could have asked Koishikawa or any of the other regular members to go, but he came up with the excuse saying they were all "occupied with other activities on their day off".

You found it odd that everyone all happened to be very busy on the exact same day but you didn't mind. To be honest, you really wanted to spend time with the blonde-haired captain, but at the same time, you didn't. What happened on Friday made you a little _uncomfortable_around Shiraishi.

The two of you walked into the mall, the wind from the air conditioning brushed against your body. An awkward silence lingered around the both of you as you glanced at the various shops in the mall, any way to avoid contact with each other. When the silenced dragged on a little _too_long, that was when you spoke.

"So-"

"I-"

Both you and Shiraishi stared at each other with wide eyes before letting out a chuckle, which later turned into full laughter. After what seemed like ages, you glanced up at Shiraishi with your innocent, (eye colour) eyes; the laughter slowly dying down.

The blonde simply grinned before ruffling up your hair with his left hand, "Sorry. You go first."

"Ah, no, no, Shiraishi-san should finish what he wanted to say earlier."

The smile on his lips widened as he pulled a slip of paper from his back pocket, "I just wanted to say thank you for coming with me today."

"It's my pleasure. We're finally hanging out with each other outside of school where it's not all about tennis." Not that you really cared... As long as you spent time with him, you were happy.

The expression on Shiraishi's face was sincere, and you could feel your heart skip a beat when you glanced up at him, "So what were you saying, (Last Name)-kun?"

"Oh, it wasn't anything important, I swear. I just wanted to ask what we needed to buy."

Shiraishi glanced down at the slip of paper in his hands, a deadpan expression on his face as he realized what he had written down. _**Chitose, you...**_He wanted to tear apart the sheet and dispose of it as soon as possible but you were right beside him; he didn't want to make a fool of himself. Besides, it was his own fault for listening to every single word Chitose said last night. There was also the fact that he wasn't entirely focused on their conversation since he had his mind on you.

_**Honestly, I'm never asking him for advice again. A new earring for **__**the amazing**__** Chitose, a new belt for Kenya, more props for Koharu and Yuuji, pick up snacks for Kin-chan, an audio set for Zaizen, bowling gloves for Koishikawa, extra toothpicks for Osamu-chan, and more power weights for Gin-san— actually, that last one's not a bad idea.**_

"Shiraishi-san?"

"S- Sorry. Let's head to the sports store." Shiraishi grabbed your wrist and dragged you towards the sports store on the other side of the mall. Along the way, a blush began to form on your cheeks from Shiraishi's fingers wrapped around your wrist.


	7. Chapter 7: After Thought

**Chapter 07: After Thought  
**

Shiraishi lay on his bed as he went over the "date" that happened today. After the two of you bought extra power weights for the players, you walked around the mall a little longer, just enjoying your time with each other. A smile crept onto Shiraishi's lips as he reminisced over the day's events. Seeing you laugh and smile just made his heart flutter.

A text broke his thoughts, and he turned around to reach for his phone on his bed rest. It was from Chitose.

_**How was the trial date?**_

_**It was just a casual hang out, but it was fun. (Last Name)-kun and I finished our shopping a little sooner than expected, so we just walked around after that. By the way, I have a surprise for you tomorrow, consider it as a thank you. It's with Koishikawa at the moment, since I won't be at practice tomorrow.**_

It only took a few seconds for Chitose to respond back.

_**Oh? I'm looking forward to it. Anyway, have fun at your second trial date tomorrow. I'm sure sweet Chizu-chan will have fun, but I'm wondering about you. From the sounds of it, you quite enjoyed today. Will tomorrow meet your expectations?**_

Shiraishi rolled over to his back and held his phone up in the air. _**Tomorrow, huh?**_

The one who set up the "date" between Shiraishi and Chizu was none other than Chitose, but for some reason, Shiraishi wasn't as excited as he thought he'd be. Instead, he tossed his phone to the side of his bed, and closed his eyes, letting his mind wander freely. Maybe Chitose was right. Tomorrow's date didn't sound too interesting at all, but he couldn't just cancel on Chizu. It wouldn't be fair to her.

_**Oh well…**_

Shiraishi flipped over onto his stomach, as he rubbed his temples in frustration. The best way was just to endure with tomorrow's date and enjoy his time. Koishikawa said he'd be fine leading the practice tomorrow, Osamu just waved him away, and Chitose and Kenya said they'd explain to any members who were curious of Shiraishi's absence. What would be their excuse? They'd probably tell them the truth, which would mean he'd have to deal with the aftermath the following day.

_**But I wonder if (Last Name)-kun will notice my absence at practice tomorrow…**_

He shook his head, ridding his mind of that thought. _**Nah, he wouldn't care. It's not like we're dating or anything. We're just friends…**_

For some reason, his heart cringed in pain when that thought travelled in his mind, as he shut his eyes tight, drifting off to a light nap.

…_**right?**_


	8. Chapter 8: Date 02

******A/N:** You all are awesome! Thank you so much for the support, and I apologize for the late update! Enjoy this chapter! :)

* * *

**Chapter 08: Date #****2...  
**

The bell dismissing the last period of the day rang, and Shiraishi gathered up his belongings. He mentioned to Chizu to meet him by the school entrance, so the two wouldn't spend a long time trying to find each other in their classes.

He turned to say goodbye to you, but you stopped him, "Oh, Shiraishi-san, I can't make it to both practices tonight."

Shiraishi widened his eyes, but regained his composure shortly after, "All right, but you'll have to make up for it tomorrow." He forced out a chuckle. However, to be honest, he was quite confused about why you were skipping practice. Sure, he was also going to miss club practice, but he was going to be finished his second trial date with Chizu in less than two hours, so he would have made it to your extra lesson.

"Thanks, Shiraishi-san! Sorry for the late notice. I was just informed today that she would be coming today. I'll see you tomorrow!" Before Shiraishi had a chance to reply, you dashed off, a trail of dust following behind you.

He remained speechless, his hand on the handle of his bag as he continued to stare in your direction. She? You were skipping club practice _and_ private lesson to spend time with a _girl_? There was suddenly a pang of jealousy in Shiraishi's heart, as he slowly left the classroom, unaware of the fact that he was emitting a deadly atmosphere around him.

Before he met up with Chizu, he was stopped by Chitose and Kenya, who pulled him away when he was inches away from Chizu. Kenya glared at the blonde, the atmosphere around him rivalled against the captain of the tennis team. "Oi, Shiraishi, what's wrong with you, man? You're scaring everyone in your way."

"We're not letting you go out on a date with cute Chizu-chan if you keep this up."

"I'm fine," Shiraishi shoved the two away, as he approached Chizu, who was aimlessly waiting for him, but was pulled back by both males.

"You're not okay if you have this aura around you. Now what happened?"

"It's about (Name)-kun, isn't it?" Chitose asked. His answer was confirmed when he noticed Shiraishi flinch, remaining silent.

Kenya sighed, running his hands through his hair, "Man, do you even need to go through with this date? You already know the answer, don't you?"

The only response he got from the blonde was a piercing glare, causing Naniwa's Speed Star to back away, but he stood his ground a few moments after.

Chitose shook his head a little, shaking a finger at Shiraishi, "Let me guess, you feel obligated to go on this date, right? Because Chizu-chan has had a huge crush on you since first year. After two years of an unrequited love, she's finally going on a date with you."

Kenya grimaced, already on the verge of throwing up his lunch. Chitose was starting to sound like his cousin, Yuushi, with all this "love" talk going on[1].

Ignoring Kenya's frown, Chitose continued, "Well, it's okay to cancel, you know. She'll feel even worse when she finds out you're attracted to someone else while on this date."

"You and I both know that I don't have the guts to cancel on her like this; it's not fair to her."

"Okay fine, but think about it this way… How would you feel if, let's say, (Name)-kun did this to you while you were on your date yesterday? Like he had someone else on his mind throughout the entire thing?"

The glare in Shiraishi's eyes narrowed but Chitose waved it off, "Face it, Shiraishi. You would feel horrible. Now you wouldn't want Chizu-chan to feel this way, would you?"

Shiraishi averted his eyes away from Chitose, refusing to admit that he had a point.

"Here, I'll tell her for you. Kenya, do me a favour; hide Shiraishi for a while." Chitose shoved Shiraishi aside, ignoring the blonde's quiet protests.

He called out to the petite brunette, who whirled around immediately. Within moments, he explained to her that Shiraishi had a family emergency and had to cancel their date. Of course, anyone would have noticed the disappointment in her eyes, but she hurriedly covered it up by laughing it off and shrugged. Before she left the school, she asked Chitose to pass a message onto Shiraishi, which was a good luck message, hoping all his worries would be resolved.

The blonde exhaled deeply, a pang of guilt in his chest as he realized what he just did. He let a nice girl, like Chizu, down, all because he was too upset with you. Honestly, what was the matter with him?

Chitose approached the two tennis members, before placing a reassuring hand on Shiraishi's shoulder, "Now you wanna tell me and Kenya what's going on? Exactly what were you and (Name)-kun discussing about before you left the class?"

Shiraishi hesitated, before he explained to them about how you were meeting a girl and he had an odd feeling in his chest the moment you left. It was just, you looked so excited to go, he felt an emotion he never really had before. He wanted to know what was going on. Why did he feel this way? You were just a friend of his. It was normal for you to spend time with others besides him, he knew that, yet… why had he…?

That was when both Kenya and Chitose stared at each other, until they faced the troubled blonde and said, "Dude, admit it, you're in love with him," Kenya stated the obvious.

"This feeling you have, it's jealousy, Shiraishi. I guess this means you've fallen pretty hard for (Name)-kun," Chitose finished.

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1] **= I just had to add this LOL. We all know Yuushi is a romantic and, I don't know, when Chitose started blabbing on about love, I was thinking, "Oh man! Yuushi's starting to rub off on Chitose!" LOL.


	9. Chapter 9: This Is Why We're Friends

**A/N:** So here's the next instalment 8D

UHHH okay first things first... MAJOR APOLOGY TO THOSE WHO HAVE REVIEWED THIS STORY: I am so so so so so sorry it took me FOREVER to realize that I could reply to your reviews. I seriously had NO idea so I have replied to all your reviews now. Thank you so much! Your support and love for this story makes me all happy and giddy :'D Also, I forgot to mention I have a new username/alias I have here on to start things over. If you're interested, it is: AzaleaLura :) Thank you, hope to see you on my other account as well (but I will finish this story first). :)

I do apologize for the fluffiness of this story (especially in this chapter) but thank you for sticking by me! Enjoy this chapter :)

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**Chapter 09: This Is Why We're Friends  
**

Since Shiraishi cancelled his date, he attended practice, but everyone noticed the captain was not a hundred percent focused. When he played a practice match with Chitose, he missed the ball several times, even though it was clearly a shot he would have usually gotten. The regular members watched from the sidelines, as the two individuals approached them. Kenya handed them towels as they each took a seat on the bench for a breather.

"I'd like to say that was a good match, but buchou, you were horrible today," Zaizen Hikaru said, disregarding the fact that Shiraishi was his upperclassman, and he should show some respect. Then again, the little brat never did respect his seniors.

Shiraishi remained quiet, as Chitose forced out a laugh, "Well, he's having a rough day, so let's be gentler on him, all right?"

"Could it be that Kura-rin's having love problems?" Konjiki Koharu asked, leaning on his doubles partner, Hitouji Yuuji, for support. The two were inseparable, even when one needed to go to the washroom, they'd spend five minutes telling each other goodbye and how much they'd miss each other. For bystanders, it was like a stand-up comedy.

Ishida Gin, the powerhouse of Shitenhouji, simply nodded his agreement with Koharu's statement, also wondering the same thing.

"Shiraishi's mopin' over a crush!? Who, who, who?!" The boisterous, hyperactive freshman of the regulars' team, Tooyama Kintarou, jumped around the said boy, as curiosity got the worst of him.

Everyone neared the individual, who was about to say something when they heard a low, audible voice approach the group of regulars, "If you bother Shiraishi any further, I'll force you to run twenty laps around the school."

They averted their attention from Shiraishi to face Koishikawa and Osamu, and Shiraishi exhaled deeply, relieved of the pressure he was getting from everyone moments before. Koishikawa held a clipboard in his hands, while Osamu fixed the straw hat on his head, playing around with the toothpick in his mouth. Soon after, Osamu stuffed his hands into his pockets, and rocked back and forth on his heels, "Shouldn't you be practicing? Why are you slacking off?"

"Osamu-chan, we're all curious about Shiraishi's play today! It must be because of a girl!" Kintarou yelled, gaining almost everyone's attention, making the said individual bury his face into his hands. Honestly, would everyone just focus on practice, and away from him!?

"Kin-chan, twenty laps; I was serious before," Koishikawa said, tilting his head to the side as an indicator to the poor freshman to run his laps.

Kintarou whined, before he dashed off to finish his laps. Everyone observed and a sweat drop formed on the back of their heads, when they noticed a trail of dust following Kintarou's steps.

The group of regulars then disbanded, each one heading into practice, with Shiraishi still seated on the bench. It was a doubles practice match between the pair, Kenya and Zaizen, and the Funny Doubles Pair, Koharu and Yuuji, while Chitose and Gin had their own singles match.

Koishikawa stood beside Shiraishi, who absentmindedly took small sips from his water bottle. Osamu went to attend a teachers' meeting so the two were by themselves. Koishikawa, with his arms folded across his chest, glanced down at Shiraishi, "I thought you said you wouldn't be coming to practice today."

"Yeah, well… My plans got—"

"Your date with Chizu-san was cancelled, no?" He finished, causing Shiraishi to nearly spit out his water. The blonde looked at the vice-captain with wide eyes, wondering how in the world he knew, and Koishikawa simply laughed, "I'm in the same class as her. I overheard her squealing over a _'date with the one and only Shiraishi Kuranosuke'_ with her friends."

_**Great, now I feel horrible for cancelling.**_

"Though, I think I know why you cancelled."—Shiraishi waited for him to go on—"It's because you like someone else, isn't it? (Name)-kun?"

A faint blush crept onto Shiraishi's cheeks, as he realized Koishikawa found out his attraction towards you.

Koishikawa smiled genuinely, as he patted his friend on the shoulder, "I've seen the way you look at (Name)-kun with those eyes of admiration. I'm sure all the other regulars have noticed it, but they're just playing oblivious… Well, maybe everyone except Kin-chan." He stifled out a laugh, with Shiraishi following the same action soon after. "You know, we are friends. We're bound to notice a change. To be honest, we all predicted something like this would happen; we were just waiting for you to mention something to us first."

When their laughter finally died down, Shiraishi glanced down at his palms and then back at the courts. He watched as Zaizen sighed while Kenya yelled at Koharu and Yuuji for their play style, in which the two just made a funny face at him, making him even angrier. Then he diverted his gaze towards Gin and Chitose, who were interrupted by Kintarou, whining about how he wanted to play a match too.

Shiraishi laughed once more, knowing Koishikawa was right. His regulars' team was always by his side, so of course they'd notice something was wrong. But he grimaced, thinking back about today, when you ran out of the classroom as soon as possible to meet the girl you arranged a meeting with.

"Too bad I was a coward these past few months. I lost the opportunity to tell (Last Name)-kun the truth." He buried his face in his hands, upset with himself for being oblivious to his feelings towards you. Deep down, he knew he'd fallen for you the moment you met; he just didn't want to accept it.

Now, he regretted it.

As Shiraishi sighed, Koishikawa's smile only widened even more, as he threw the clipboard to Shiraishi and grabbed his racquet on the side to play a doubles game with Chitose, Gin, and Kintarou. However, before he left the captain to ponder over his thoughts, he left him with a word of advice, "I don't think you've screwed everything up yet, Shiraishi. But here's a suggestion: Give (Name)-kun a call tonight. I'm sure you'll be shocked to find out who he met up with today."[1]

_**Huh…?**_ Before Shiraishi had a chance to ask, Koishikawa was already on the court, ready to play, leaving a confused captain to think back on his words.

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1]** = I needed to give Koishikawa more screen time. I mean, he's not appreciated at all, so yeah… I just put him in here. To be honest, I can imagine him saying these words to Shiraishi, LOL.


	10. Chapter 10: My Confession

**A/N: **Ahhhh you are all just so amazing! Thanks for the lovely support! I forgot to mention that after this story, I will be moving accounts. If you wish to follow me, please check out AzaleaLura on ! I can accept requests (but I can't guarantee I will be motivated to write it D:). But please follow/support me on AzaleaLura (currently writing Kuroko no Basket fics. AoKi is my OTP!). I have a Twitter, too! Add/Follow me on there if you want to be friends and suggest prompts to me! Thanks for reading this short blurb! I hope you all enjoy it, thank-you!

Hehehe, time to meet Kura-rin's family :3 Go now; go read!

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**Chapter 10: My Confession?  
**

After practice, Shiraishi hung out with the regulars at the park where he asked for their opinion on how to approach you. Koishikawa already gave him his word of wisdom before practice ended, but he hung around, to hear what the rest of the team would say. Of course, Koharu and Yuuji suggested he walk to your doorstep, and offer your hand in marriage; Shiraishi simply laughed it off.

Zaizen shrugged, apathetic to the whole ordeal. He didn't want to be involved in this situation, knowing full well that whatever he said, Shiraishi wouldn't consider it as an option anyways.

Then there was Kenya, who said, "It's up to you, Shiraishi. You decide what move to make next." Not helpful, but at least encouraging words for Shiraishi.

Gin, not knowledgeable in this field, just placed a reassuring hand on Shiraishi's shoulder, and the blonde already knew that he had full support from the bald, powerhouse of Shitenhouji.

The very next one was the super active freshman, Kintarou, who shrieked out loud when Shiraishi announced his little crush towards you, gaining several bystanders' attention. Koishikawa predicted right. Out of the nine of them, Kintarou was the only one who was oblivious to Shiraishi's feelings, which was predictable since he was only focused on strong tennis players and, well, food.

When their little hang out was done, the team separated, with Koharu and Yuuji headed in one direction, Kenya and Zaizen in the other. Koishikawa, Gin, and Kintarou headed towards the main streets, while Chitose and Shiraishi headed home, going further into the park.

Outside of Shiraishi's home, Chitose grabbed hold of his wrist, stopping him from entering, "So today's the day, huh? You're really going to tell (Name)-kun about your true feelings?"

Shiraishi smiled, but only a little; Chitose could tell from a mile away that he was nervous about his confession to you tonight. But Shiraishi knew – oh, he knew – that this had to be done. You needed to know how he actually felt about you, and he wanted to know if you felt the same way.

Chitose smiled, patting Shiraishi's shoulder before heading off towards his home, his hand up in the air as a sign of goodbye, "Text me the result, but like I said before, I already know how this is going to end."

As Chitose left Shiraishi's line of view, he scowled, opening the door to his home. _**Well, if you already know, then why don't you tell me the outcome?!**_

"Kuranosuke? Is that you?"

"Yeah, I'm home," Shiraishi called out, slipping off his shoes and walking into the kitchen to meet eyes with his mother, older sister, and younger sister all helping out with dinner.

"Welcome home, Kuranosuke. You should call home when it starts getting dark, okay? Or else I'll start to worry."

"Sorry, Okaa-san[1]. I'll remember next time," He greeted his mother with a small peck on the cheek[2], before feeling a small tug on his sleeve, and he crouched down to greet his younger sister. "What? I don't get a hello?"

"Onii-san[3] was being cruel, and made Yukari worry[4]. No dinner for you." A small pout formed on Shiraishi's younger sister's lips, as she turned away from her older brother, who only patted her head and chuckled.

He was used to this. Yukari, having a strong attachment to him, was constantly worried when he came home a bit later than usual. "Sorry, Yukari. I'll make it up to you, alright? We'll go out for ice cream one day."

"Really?!" Yukari jumped, a sparkle in her eyes as she prayed her brother wasn't joking. The only response she got from him was a soft laugh and a pat on the head, but that was enough to send her running.

Shiraishi turned around, only to face his older sister who crossed her arms, before she said, "Dinner will be ready in half an hour, but I suggest you call someone by the name of (Last Name) (Name)-kun. It sounded urgent."

At that moment, his heart skipped a beat. He thanked his sister, before hurriedly rushing up to his room, and locking the door. Why in the world were you calling him? He should have been the one to call you first… unless…

He hoped it had nothing to do with you announcing the fact that you and the girl he was meeting today were now in a relationship.

After the second ring, a feminine voice picked up the phone, "(Last Name) residence."

"O- Oh, u- um… I- I'm looking for… um… (N- Name)-kun…" Shiraishi stuttered, in which the woman left to call you. That was the first time he'd ever said your first name, and he could already feel the heat rise up his cheeks.

"Hello."

"(Last Name)-kun! Um, hi, you – um – called?"

Well, he sure switched back to old habits fast.

"Shiraishi-san? I was wondering if you'd like to meet someone tomorrow; she's really important to me, and I'd be really glad if you agreed to meet her!"

Suddenly, the joy from today disappeared out of Shiraishi's system, as he heard the excited tone in your voice. The jealousy from before started to grow as he continued to listen to you blab on about your day today. You sounded so cheerful, but it wasn't because of him. It was your _friend, _to be precise, your _girl_friend.

But he couldn't just reject your offer. After all, he was someone close to you; he knew that. This was why he simply shrugged off his jealousy, and said, "Sure, (Last Name)-kun."

After talking a little more, your conversation ended. Shiraishi tossed the phone to the side, and flipped over, burying his face in his pillow.

This feeling of jealousy was starting to get in the way of your friendship. What if, one day, he suddenly let his emotions get the worst of him, and showed his envious side in front of you? What would you think of him then?

_**Dammit… (Last Name)-kun…**_

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1]** = Okaa-san is mother.

**[2]** = For some reason, I can see Shiraishi as the perfect son /shot. This is why I made him greet his mother with a small kiss on the cheek—I don't know. LOL. Thought it was a nice touch 8D;

**[3] **= Onii-san is older brother.

**[4]** = Although Yukari's only supposed to be like, a year or two younger than Shiraishi (I think), I can see her talking in third person when she's annoyed at her siblings. She sounds like a brat, in my opinion /killed. By the way, I didn't come up with the name. His younger sister is actually named Yukari. :"D


	11. Chapter 11: Pep Talk Between Siblings

**A/N**: Thank you to all your kind reviews and follows! I'm glad you all like it! This is the second to last chapter so please enjoy. Hehe, we get to see Kura-rin interact with his older sister... and poor Kenya (that's all I'm going to say LOL). ENJOY! 8D**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Pep Talk Between Siblings**

Suddenly, a soft buzz snapped Shiraishi out of his small nap, and he let out a frustrated groan, lazily reaching for his phone. He knew that ringtone anywhere. No doubt about it, Chitose had sent him a text asking how things went, and seconds later, a similar text from Kenya.

Shiraishi replied back, already knowing the reactions of the two boys, but didn't care. The conversation he had with you just now really brought down his mood. _**I didn't tell him yet. It just wasn't good timing.**_

It didn't take long for the boys to reply, and it was exactly how Shiraishi predicted it. Surprisingly enough, both of them replied with the exact same words. _**What the hell, Shiraishi!? When are you ever going to tell (Name)-kun? At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if he was already in a relationship.**_

That last sentence caused Shiraishi to flinch, as he repeated it several times in his mind. They were right. You weren't always around him. In fact, there were some girls who hung around you during break, asking you for help with their homework or talking about a new TV series. Overall, you were an outgoing student, who was loved by many of your peers.

It's just, Shiraishi thought that because of the time you spent together, he would always be someone you could trust, cherish, and, well, love. He never really considered the option of you having a crush on someone else. But that changed, didn't it?

He thought back to your conversation before and sighed, running his hand through his hair. Damn, he really screwed things up this time, didn't he? Over the phone, he replied with blunt answers, and only talked whenever you asked a question. Sure, at that time, he was feeling depressed and angered, but that didn't give him the excuse to just basically ignore you, or pay less attention.

As he continued to think in deep thought, he heard a knock on the door and his older sister, "Kuranosuke, get ready for dinner. By the way, did you call your friend back?"

Shiraishi went to open the door and there, he faced his sister, "Yeah, thanks. It was just something about the homework." He glanced down at the floor, before looking back at his sister, who only stared at him with curious eyes. She noticed his strange behaviour, and was wondering what exactly was going on through her younger brother's head.

"Nee-san[1], what do you do when the one you love may be attracted to someone else…?"

His sister arched her eyebrows, now interested in who her brother was implying. After all these years, he finally liked something other than tennis? And in this case, some_one_.

"I- I- I mean, t- this isn't b- because I'm…" Shiraishi's face began to heat up, as he realized what he just asked. He then focused his attention on the floor, away from his sister's gaze. "…I'm asking this for Kenya! H- He likes someone right now, b- but he thinks… that… he—I mean, _she_ may like someone else.[2]"

Now his sister had her arms crossed over her chest, and he was sure she knew he wasn't talking about Kenya at all. And not only that, she was going to realize that he was attracted to a _guy_, not a _girl_.

"Well…" Shiraishi's eyes immediately shot up when he heard his sister's tone. She was actually going to give him advice? But a sudden smirk appeared on her lips, as she noticed the red tint on her little brother's cheeks. "If I was in you— oh, sorry, I meant… If I was Kenya-kun, I would approach my crush, and then confess. There's no harm in confessing. Sure, if it turns out that his crush doesn't like him back, then it will be awkward, but it'll only last for a short time. If he and his crush were good friends, then I don't see the harm in him telling them how he feels."

"I- I see…"

"However, this is just my opinion. I'm not sure how you _boys_ handle it nowadays," His sister said, emphasizing on her last sentence as she patted Shiraishi's shoulder, winking at her younger brother. She turned on her heel and began walking down the stairs, back to the kitchen. "Anyway, wash up. And good luck on your crush. Oh wait," She stopped, and turned around, smirking at Shiraishi, "I meant, please, send my luck to Kenya-kun. I _do_ hope the one he loves accepts his confession, and I would _love_ to hear the result."

Shiraishi, mouth wide open, watched as his sister left his view. Moments later, he slouched down to the floor, clinging onto the door knob, as a dark cloud loomed over his head. His sister was definitely going to tease him for the rest of his life, not only that but… He cringed. If things did go well with his confession, his sister would order him to bring you home so she could meet you. He shuttered, knowing full well of the cunning, blackmailing nature of his sister.

He regained his posture shortly after, the dark cloud vanishing as soon as possible the moment he stood back up. His sister had a point though. He had nothing to lose.

That was it. He was going to tell you tomorrow, no matter what. Despite the outcome.

* * *

******FOOT NOTES;**

**[1]** = Nee-san is older sister.

**[2]** = This foot note is just for the hell of it, but did anyone notice what I did there? ;) HURHUR, KenZai, or ZaiKen, I actually don't have a preference… Actually, I take that back. ZaiKen all the way. /KILLED. But yes, I implied something there 8) _(Poor Kenya LOL. Dragged into this by Shiraishi.)_


	12. Chapter 12: My Confession, (Name)-kun

**A/N: **HHHH so a major shout-out to all of you who stuck with me till the end of this little fic! It's been a pleasure writing for you all :D I will be retiring from this account but if you want to read more of my stuff, please check out my other account: _AzaleaLura_ ~azalealura. Thanks for all the support, everyone! Enjoy and hope you had fun reading this fic till the end! :)

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**Chapter 12: My Confession, (Name)-kun [For Real This Time]**

Two minutes. It was two minutes until the final bell rang.

Throughout the day, he was tapping his pencil against his desk, dreading for the last bell to dismiss class. Sure, he had the confidence yesterday after his talk with his sister, but that died down the moment he stepped into class and saw the cheerful atmosphere emitting around you. That smile on your face— it wasn't caused from him, but from your friend, and Shiraishi hated that. He wanted to be the one to make you smile like that, to make you laugh, and well, make you feel as if you were the most important person in the world. Then again, you were already that person in Shiraishi's world.

He watched, as the long hand on the clock struck twelve, and shut his eyes when the bell finally rang.

_Briiiiiiiiing_.

It was loud, so loud that it made Shiraishi wince the second it echoed through the school. He sat at his desk a little longer, head placed down as he tried to gather up on the courage for today.

He was finally going to tell you his feelings.

"Shiraishi-san?"

He snapped his eyes wide open to the sound of your voice, and glanced up, staring into your pure, (eye colour) eyes. Quickly, he stood up, and started packing up his belongings, a little too messily, and you backed away, wondering exactly what was going through the blonde's mind, "S- Sorry. Let's go, shall we? We wouldn't want to keep your friend waiting."

"Ah, about that, Shiraishi-san, I should really tell you, she's actually—"

"Hey now, let's go, okay?" Shiraishi unconsciously reached for your hand and left the classroom, not realizing that his hand was holding yours tightly. If only he turned around, he would have noticed the red tint rising on your cheeks, as the two of you left the school grounds.

Oh well. He'll know eventually.

The meeting place wasn't too far from the school. It was at a quaint café in the shopping district, so it really only took the two of you ten minutes to arrive there. On the way there, Chitose, Kenya – okay, basically everyone from the team – sent Shiraishi a picture text. The picture cracked up a smile on his face when he opened up the text and it made him less nervous around you. It was the entire regulars team all crammed together in one shot, and at the bottom, read a small message: _"Good luck, buchou! Don't be a coward now."_

When the two of you neared the café, it was obvious your friend was already there. Shiraishi could tell just by looking at you; the smile on your face instantly grew brighter. It made Shiraishi sick, yet furious – mostly from envy – because your friend was able to make you smile like he did.

He exhaled deeply, but the two of you continued making your way to the café. However, the meeting didn't last long since the second your friend saw you, she stood up from her seat and opened her arms wide. Without further ado, you jumped into her arms, hugging her tightly.

That was enough to cause Shiraishi to snap.

"(Last Name)-kun, I'm sorry." You and your friend immediately broke your hug, stunned by the harshness in Shiraishi's voice, and he continued on, "I can't watch this any further, but..."

"Shiraishi-san…?" You stepped closer to him, reaching out for his hand, but he pulled away and stepped back. Your eyes widened. You honestly couldn't read him today; he was like a completely different person.

"I…" A blush began to rise on Shiraishi's cheeks, as he looked away from your gaze, focusing on the teacup that was placed on the table, "I like you…"

It took you a while to understand what he had said. For one, he mumbled it in such a quiet voice, you could barely catch it. The second reason was just because you couldn't believe it. Shiraishi… loved you? Of all people, it was you? Then why did he…?

Suddenly, a laugh broke the silence between the two of you and both yours and Shiraishi's eyes wandered to your friend. Once her laughter died down, she wiped a tear from her eye, and smiled at Shiraishi; her hand stretched out, "You must be Shiraishi-kun, ne? Please don't misunderstand the relationship between (Name) and myself."

_**E- Eh?**_

"Let me introduce myself. I'm (Last Name) Aiko, (Name)'s older sister."

If Shiraishi could die right there, he would have. He should have taken a closer look at your friend – no wait, your _sister_ – before reacting the way he had moments before. She was an exact _replica_ of you, save for that fact that she was a girl and she was much older than you— probably around his sister's age.

The blush on his face reddened, as he tried his best to cover it up, but his hand could only cover up so much. "Uh… I- I'm sorry for—"

"No, no, it's understandable. (Name) probably forgot to mention to you that he had an older sister, ne?" Aiko pinched your cheek, causing you to swat her hand away, "I'm not home much, since I'm studying aboard, but I've heard lots about you. Well, I guess I'll leave you two alone for today. Shiraishi-kun, why don't you come over for dinner tonight?" She grinned at Shiraishi, sending him a tiny wink, as she gathered up her belongings and passed the two of you. Not before she "accidentally" pushed you into Shiraishi.

"O- Onee-san!" You yelled after her, but she ignored you. A light blush rising on your cheeks, as you and Shiraishi stood awkwardly, with his hands on your shoulders for support.

When she was out of the café, you hesitantly glanced up at Shiraishi and mumbled out, "Um… s- so, would you like to come for dinner tonight…?" The blush darkened, as you realized Shiraishi was close to you.

A smile crept onto Shiraishi's lips, "Sure."


End file.
